Unnaturally Green
by ElphieNeedsAHug
Summary: "See Fabala?" she whispered, making up the nickname on the spot, "I'll always be with you, no matter what." Pre-musical. Semi-cute, semi-sad oneshot with baby Elphaba and Melena before Nessa was born. Re-uploaded!
**A/N: Not much to say about this one, I just wrote it for fun a while ago and liked it. Elphaba's allergic to water in this one, too. Hope you like it!**

 **Also, I don't own Wicked, and I think you should be thankful for that!**

 **UPDATE: I re-uploaded this because the story kept coming up in crazy coding. I hope this fixes it!**

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Melena Thropp slowly creeped through the dark house. Down one hallway and into the next. "Oz, this house is so big we might as well call it a mansion!" she muttered as she turned yet another corner. She tiptoed through dozens of corridors with only the moonlight and gas lamps outside to guide her. Even so, she knew the house well enough to get around on her own, so that wasn't what was troubling her.

At long last, Melena reached the door she was looking for. She placed a hesitant hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath. Slowly, but surely, she eased the door open and peeked inside.

It was a relatively small room with not too much inside. There was a stool and an empty wooden shelf in one corner, and a small crib in the other adjacent to a wooden bed-side table. She could barely see the little squirming bundle lying inside.

Closing the door carefully behind her, she pulled up the stool and sat next to the crib, looking down at the little baby. She had a head full of wavy, jet black hair and such dark brown eyes that they seemed to match her locks. She looked up at her mother, wide awake and happy as anything.

Melena smiled at her daughter, but tears rolled down her face as she picked up one of her tiny hands and held it lightly. Her daughter's emerald green skin seemed to glow against her own. She sighed and gripped the infant's hand tighter. A teardrop dripped down her cheek and fell on the baby's arm. To her surprise, the spot where it fell suddenly became red and inflamed, causing her to wriggle and whimper in discomfort. Melena picked her up and rocked her back and forth.

"Shhh. It's okay, Elphaba. It's okay. Mama's here," She whispered soothingly. Elphaba cuddled closer to her mom, quickly falling asleep in her arms. Melena's smile slipped off her face.

"Allergic to water," she sighed, "As if she doesn't have enough to deal with already." She brushed hair away from Elphaba's green forehead and kissed it softly.

"Get rid of it," a gruff voice said from behind Melena. She spun around to see her husband standing in the doorway. He was a tall man, but weaker built than most men his age. His black hair hung in a small ponytail behind him and he was scowling at Elphaba like she was something the dog brought in.

"Get it out of my sight!" he demanded. Melena glared at him.

"Don't be ridiculous, Frexspar!" She turned away from him to face the window. He sighed.

"I've told you before and I'll tell you again. That witch isn't to come anywhere near our family, do you hear! I will not allow it!" he shouted, stomping his foot on the ground. "And don't call me that name! Frex is just fine," he added, softer this time.

"She's our child! We can't just throw her away because of her appearance!" she argued, holding Elphaba closer.

"Yes, we can, and we will. I am the Governor of Munchkinland and I will not have this monster for a daughter!" he spat, looking at the green infant with burning hatred.

"But the Governor of Munchkinland will not be a prejudiced moron!" she asserted.

"Are you saying that I am not suited for this position?" he said, straightening up to his full height.

"No, but I will if you keep this attitude about her!"

"Think about what people will think if they saw I have a-" He struggled to find the right words, "an ogre for a daughter! We will be kicked out of Munchkinland!" he yelled.

"Don't be ridiculous!" she repeated, turning her back on him and gently placing the baby back in the crib. Then she walked straight up to Frex until they were nose to nose.

"I don't care what you say. We are going to keep her. We are going to keep her and raise her like a normal, beautiful, perfect little child, understand?" She glared at Frex, almost challenging him to contradict her, though he knew better. He placed a hand under her chin and tilted her head up to look at him.

"If you insist," he sighed, though he wasn't planning on listening to her. He leaned his head in to kiss her. Melena waited until the very last second before twisting her head to the side so she was looking at the shelf and Frex's kiss landed on her cheek.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing. I just… thought I heard something. That's all," she lied, looking down.

"Well, alright." he said, "Come on," he tried to grab Melena's hand, but she pulled it away. Her eyes said it all: I'm staying with her. He exhaled and left without another word, pausing only to give Elphaba a dirty look.

The moment he was out of sight, she took her hand and wiped her cheek where he planted the kiss, disgusted. She turned away from the door to see the child sleeping in the crib, oblivious to the words that had just been exchanged between her two parents. Melena walked up to it and stared at her small green face, lit up by the moonlight shining through the window.

Melena looked behind her, making sure that Frex had gone. Sensing no one outside the door, she took a small bottle out of the pocket of her nightgown. It was full of green liquid and plugged with a cork at the top. She seemed torn about whether to hold it close or glare at it.

"If only Oscar were here," she mumbled, despite her better judgments, "At least he wouldn't be so cruel." She was about to place the bottle on the bed-side table when she felt Elphaba's eyes on her. She looked down to see baby Elphaba gazing at the bottle with interest.

She can never stay asleep, can she? Melena thought, amused. Smiling slightly, she placed the bottle in the infant's tiny fist. She looked at it with curiosity, not knowing what to do with it. Melena lowered her head down into the crib.

"See Fabala?" she whispered, making up the nickname on the spot, "I'll always be with you, no matter what." Neither one could have predicted what happened next in their story.

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 **A/N #2: Review please? It would make both me and Elphaba happy!**

 **Elphaba: I have nothing to do with your Fanfics!**

 **Me: Oh come on, Elphie!**

 **Elphaba: Don't call me "Elphie"!**

 **Me: Grr...**


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